1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to surgical instruments for transmitting energy to tissue for cautery and coagulation and, in particular, to energy transmitting surgical instruments particularly useful in endoscopic surgery and methods therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Closed, or endoscopic, surgery, otherwise known as least invasive surgery, has become extremely desirable for use in many fields including the laparoscopic, genito-urinary, spinal, breast, brain, thoracic and orthopedic fields. In endoscopic surgery, a portal sleeve is introduced into a cavity of the body through a portal of minimal size formed in a wall of the cavity. Once introduced, the portal sleeve can be utilized to introduce various surgical instruments into the cavity for various surgical procedures. One procedure which it is desirable to perform endoscopically is that of treating tissue with energy, such as electric or light energy, transmitted to the tissue by an energy transmitting member for cauterization and coagulation as well as other treatment procedures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,402 to Fan is illustrative of an instrument and method for electro-surgical laparoscopic cauterization. A disadvantage of prior art instruments and methods for treating tissue with energy endoscopically is that the energy transmitting member is not protected such that inadvertent contact with and destruction of healthy tissue can occur. Another disadvantage of prior art instruments and methods for treating tissue with energy endoscopically is that tissue can become stuck to the energy transmitting member such that the treatment procedure is impaired due to tissue trauma and the need to clean the energy transmitting member. A further drawback to prior art instruments and methods for endoscopically treating tissue with energy is that a single instrument cannot be utilized to both penetrate a wall of an anatomical cavity to introduce a portal sleeve therein and to treat tissue with energy following penetration of the cavity.